The Georgia Bulldogs lost their No. 1 ranking almost as quick as they had it. Georgia was trounced by Auburn in the Oldest Rivalry in the Deep South last week and saw its chances of making the College Football Playoff take a severe hit as a result. The Bulldogs cannot afford a slip up the rest of the way with a schedule that looks much weaker after Notre Dame was pummeled by Miami. That means there is no margin for error when they face the Kentucky Wildcats this Saturday and they may even need to add some style points.
Watch this regular season Week 12 matchup live on Saturday, November 18, 2017, at 3:30 p.m. ET at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. This game will be broadcast on CBS.
College Football Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Kentucky +22
Georgia -22
Odds Analysis
Georgia had won nine straight to start the year and it looked like Kirby Smart’s bunch might be able to best Nick Saban in the SEC Championship Game. However, those plans went into the ditch following a 40-17 to Auburn. The Bulldogs have now failed to cover in three of their last four as the offense’s torrid pace has slowed down and the defense is having trouble stopping competent offenses. Under cashed in Georgia’s first five games this season, but over has been the right side in four of the last five.
Kentucky has to be feeling good with its performance this season. The Wildcats have quietly built a 7-3 record and are in second place in the SEC East by virtue of a win over South Carolina. They have been able to put up points on every team but Mississippi State and would love to shock Georgia. Over has cashed in five of their last seven games.
Player to Watch
You have to keep your eye on how Jake Fromm will bounce back from a disastrous performance against Auburn. Georgia was able to run the ball effectively against Auburn’s defense, so the onus was on Fromm to make plays with his arm. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the young freshman was unable to accomplish much through the air and that led to a rout.
Give Fromm some leeway. Not only is he a true freshman, last week was the first time he had been asked to do much all season long. Fromm had thrown more than 15 passes in a game just three times prior to the loss to Auburn and was not used to having the team lean on him. He was pressured by Auburn all game long and completed less than 50 percent of his passes.
Kentucky has a solid run defense, so Fromm will need to be efficient through the air for Georgia to cover the number. The Wildcats allow just 3.8 yards per carry, but the pass defense is outside of the top 100 in most major categories.
Coaching Angle
It’s not easy to win at the SEC’s lone basketball school. Kentucky doesn’t devote the same resources to football that it does to basketball and it has shown over the year. Usually the Wildcats are battling Vanderbilt for the bottom spot in the SEC East, but Mark Stoops has turned that around.
Stoops has fans of Big Blue Nation excited after his first seven-win season. Following Kentucky’s win over Vanderbilt, he was given a $3.9 million bonus and a lucrative contract extension to boot. After such a windfall, you couldn’t be upset if Stoops felt a bit of relief and wasn’t as locked in as he would be.
Free ATS Pick
Georgia is going to be out for blood in this game. The Bulldogs have pasted mediocre teams for most of the season and will do so once again in their final home game of the season. This will be a rout from start to finish.
College Football Odds: Georgia 48, Kentucky 13
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